Survivor Series '02

Legacy Review

Survivor Series '02

November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York City

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler (Raw), Michael Cole and Tazz (Smackdown)

 

As we head into the final Big 4 PPV of the year the brand split has nicely settled in during the months since Summerslam, with each brand starting to establish a distinct identity under GMs Eric Bischoff (Raw) and Stephanie McMahon (SD) (and aided by separate creative teams, particularly with Paul Heyman leading creative on SD). The split of the world titles has even brought some stability on that front after a multitude of WWE Championship changes the first half of the year, with both champions holding onto the belts since the title split in early September. Doesn't seem like long, but that's how often the title was changing hands before then.

 

They're using the short MSG entrance again tonight, which I always like, same as the last couple of PPVs here (Summerslam '98 and Royal Rumble 2000). The opening arena shots focus on what's hanging above the ring, the large, ominous and brand new Elimination Chamber. More on that when we get there.

 

Elimination Tables Match: Bubba Ray Dudley, Spike Dudley and Jeff Hardy def 3 Minute Warning and Rico in 14:20 (Raw)- This is the closest thing there will be to a traditional Survivor Series match tonight. It's individual elimination rules tonight instead of team elimination, probably because it's Survivor Series. The heels charge the ring on their entrance and we're off. After a bit of brawling the faces clear the ring. Bubba Ray is still wrestling in shorts, a fairly recent change. Bubba Ray tries to toss Spike onto 3MW on the floor but they catch him instead. Bubba Ray sets up and Jeff launches off him to do a Poetry in Motion type dive down onto everyone on the floor! Bubba Ray flips Rico back in the ring. They do some basic back and forth stuff while the crowd does the dumbass "We want tables" chant. IT'S A TABLES MATCH, OF COURSE THERE'LL BE TABLES! Serious pet peeve of mine, that chant. Anyway, both Spike and Jeff take turns hitting variations of the old Dudleyz Whazzup Drop on Rico and Jamal. After that Bubba Ray says get the tables. Bubba Ray gets one propped up in the corner before Rosey comes in and clotheslines him. Spike tries to jump Rosey, which of course doesn't go well for him, then Rosey backdrops Jeff over the top out to the floor. Rosey rams deadweight Spike into the table. Spike dodges a charge and Rosey goes through the table! JR points out that doesn't count, it's "it has to be an offensive move" rules. Which thankfully is easier to figure out than trying to determine what that ever elusive "football move" is while doing the advanced calculus necessary to determine if a catch was a catch in the NFL. Nice bit where angry Rosey throws off the table pieces like it personally insulted him. He hits Spike with a piece of the table. Spinebuster for Bubba Ray coming back in. Jeff tries a crossbody off the top but Rosey flat swats him out of the air and splashes him. Rico sets up a table in the ring and hooks up Spike. Spike fights off a suplex attempt. He tries for a Dudley Dog on Rico, but Rico blocks it and places him in the waiting arms of 3MW. They smash him face first through the table! Damn! Spike's out, and probably out out. The heel team sets up Jeff and Bubba Ray in the middle of the ring and Rico directs traffic, telling 3MW to each go up top. When they do Bubba Ray fights back up, kicks Rico away, and knocks Rosey off the top rope. Rosey split legged moonsaulted himself down, that was crazy. Jeff then gets Jamal on the other side. Rico gets tossed over the top to the floor, and takes out both a TV cameraman and I think poor Bill Apter in the process. Jeff hits Poetry in Motion once, but Rosey pulls him down by the hair to cut a second one off. Rosey takes Jeff to the floor while Jamal and Rico stomp Bubba Ray down in the ring. In fact Jeff and Rosey are going all the way into the crowd, under hard camera. Rosey sets up a table there. If I remember right, it's in the same place the Dudleyz and Hardyz had their crazy table dive in their match here at the 2000 Rumble. Meanwhile in the ring, Bubba Ray dodges in the corner and Jamal avalanches Rico, then he hits Jamal with a Bubba Bomb and runs out to go help Jeff. There goes Jeff climbing up the arch. Swanton Bomb down onto Rosey though the table! That's Rosey out. When Bubba Ray gets back in the ring Jamal and Rico jump him and get another table set up. Rico sets up for a moonsault, but Jeff comes up and shakes the top rope to crotch him. Bubba Ray back superplexes Rico, but Jamal moves the table out of the way! Nice save. Jeff hits Whisper in the Wind on Jamal. Pop up dropkick and Jamal goes to the floor again. Jeff gets a table and drops it on Jamal. He goes for the barricade run, slips and almost falls, but still manages to finish and run into the same table that Jamal uses as a shield. The ref judgement call is Jeff is still in. Jamal sets Jeff up on another table on the floor and goes up top. Big splash to the floor, putting Jeff through the table! Zero question Jeff's eliminated now. Bubba Ray lays in his jab combo on Rico in the ring, then sets him up on a table. Jamal runs in to make the save, pushing Rico off the table. He goes up top with Bubba Ray. Bubba Ray lifts him up and puts him through the table, classic Dudleyz style! Jamal's gone and it's down to Bubba Ray and Rico. I don't like Rico's chances. Rico slugs Bubba Ray down, then goes out to get another table. Rosey also gets in the ring and stomps on Bubba Ray despite ref Jack Doan's protests that he's already out. Rosey saves Rico from a Bubba Bomb and gives Bubba Ray a belly to belly suplex. Now Jamal is back in as total control of the match is lost. HERE COMES D'VON! IN FULL DUDLEYZ GEAR! He fights off all of the heel team and tosses 3MW to the floor. The Dudleyz 3D Rico through the table! Bubba Ray wins the match, but even more importantly the Dudleyz are finally back together. An admission that breaking them up in the brand split was a bad idea. Typical fun Dudleyz led tables match. ***1/4

 

There's a WWE Network/Peacock/Netflix/wherever the hell I'm watching this from now edit here. A live performance by Saliva performing this year's Survivor Series theme has been cut, due to rights reasons I'm sure. Side note, I'm so glad with the archive no longer on Peacock all those damn edited in ad fadeouts are gone. Talk about destroying the flow of the show. 

 

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Billy Kidman def Jamie Noble (c) (w/Nidia) in 7:10 (SD)- Noble's been champion since King of the Ring in June, which, not counting Tajiri's reign at the end of the Invasion because they weren't sure if the title was going to continue at that point or not, is the longest reign in the title's history, going back to its creation in WCW in '96, which is the lineage this title is continuing, not the WWF Light Heavyweight title. Speaking of WCW, Kidman is very familiar with this title from there, having held it three times in WCW proper, twice during the Invasion, and once more already after the title went Smackdown exclusive, giving him the most reigns with this title to this point. Kidman's debuting new music tonight, which bodes well for his chances. Kidman goes for quick win roll ups and cradles right after the bell, trying to surprise Noble. While that's going on I also see there's a blood stain in the ring. Didn't see anyone get busted open that last match. Wonder if it was Rico on that last table shot. After a few near falls Noble goes to the floor for some space, but Kidman follows and rolls him right back in. After taking a Bret bump Noble does a nice counter on a charging Kidman into a neckbreaker. That puts Noble in control, hooking up Kidman's arms in a butterfly while doing his usual "Come on boy!" jawing. Kidman tries to fight back and Noble momentum tosses him over the top to the floor. Noble tope suicida! Coming back in Noble tries coming off the top rope. Kidman dropkicks him out of midair! Running back elbow, clothesline and dropkick from Kidman. Noble does a nice counter sequence into a pumphandle, but Kidman back elbows out. The gimmick masked it, but Noble really is a fantastic technical wrestler, as he'll later show in golden era Ring of Honor. Kidman works Noble up into a fireman's carry and drops him into a neckbreaker for 2. Falcon arrow from Noble for 2. Standing switch and Kidman faceplants Noble, then sets him up in the corner. He goes up top, but Nidia pulls Noble out to the floor to save him. Kidman dives onto Noble on the floor instead! Slingshot legdrop from Kidman coming back in for 2. Another nice workaround by Noble into an attempt at his Tiger Driver finisher. Kidman counters into a backdrop. Nidia grabs Kidman's foot and Kidman drags her up to the apron. Nidia slaps Kidman! But Kidman pushes Noble into Nidia and powerbombs him for 2. Another long counter sequence. Kidman gets Noble in a backslide, but Noble fights free and uses the arm hookup to hit the Tiger Driver! Kidman kicks out! Boot up from Kidman in the corner. He goes up top. Noble goes up to join him. Avalanche faceplant from Kidman! Noble kicks out! Noble gets Kidman in the corner, sets him up top in a kind of magic killer position, then DDTs him! That gets a long 2. Enzuguri from Kidman and he sets Noble up in the corner again. Again Nidia tries to distract but Kidman kicks her away. That gave Noble enough time to get up. Kidman fights him off and Noble's in the drop zone again. SSP! Kidman gets the pin to win the title for the 7th time overall! Another good match with some nice counter work, which again was quietly one of Noble's strengths. ***

 

In the back, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit have one of their typical prematch team meetings. They may be equally matched in the ring, but there's no doubt Angle carried these promo segments. Meanwhile, something called "F-View" catches Victoria going psycho and arguing with herself in the mirror. Was F-View run by the same people that did GTV?

 

Hardcore Match for the WWE Women's Championship: Victoria def Trish Stratus (c) in 7:04 (Raw)- Trish successfully defended against Victoria last month at No Mercy, but Victoria's continued insanity has pushed Trish into giving her another match, and under rules that seem to favor Victoria. Victoria helps Trish by taking her jacket off for her, and then chokes her with it which is less nice. There's trash cans of hardcore goodies hung in all the corners for this match. That's convenient. Victoria pulls a broom out of one. Trish dodges swings with it and monkey flips Victoria with the broom, but Victoria hangs on, flips back over, and chokes Trish with the broom. She walks up in the corner and basically hangs Trish with the broom. Trish gets a kick in and flips Victoria over to get free. She then turns around and gets a trash can lid out. Victoria swings the broom into the lid! Good shot there. She rams Trish's face into the lid on the mat. They go to the floor and Trish gets whipped face first into one of the hanging trash cans! Slingshot legdrop from Victoria coming back in for 2. She goes under the ring to get a trash can, as if there weren't enough on the corners already. She wedges it into the corner. Trish gets a double leg takedown and slingshots Victoria face first into the can! Then she kicks the can off Victoria's head for 2. Trish goes under the ring and gets an ironing board! Yup, it's a women's hardcore match. Last time I can remember seeing an ironing board was when Jericho and Chyna had that match based around household chore themed weapons. Trish props it up in the corner and whips Victoria into it. Bicycle kick from Trish for 2. Now she gets a kendo stick and goes to town on Victoria with it. Victoria fights her off and waffles Trish with a can lid! Trish tries her handstand hurricanrana in the corner but Victoria blocks it. Trish gets the lid and hits Victoria with it! Victoria hits a powerbomb and goes under the ring again. She gets out.... a mirror. Well she's already broken one tonight. Trish hits a glancing chick kick as Victoria gets back in. Another swing and it hits full on for 2. Trish goes for another toy out of one of the hanging cans. Victoria hits her in the back with the kendo stick. Trish grabs her around the head and they muff the hell out of a bulldog spot. Trish knows it too, the look on her face. Victoria drop toe holds Trish as she's charging with a kendo stick. Now they do the fire extinguisher spot with Trish taking the spray in the face, once Victoria can get it working. Snap suplex from Victoria, and that's all she needs for the pin to win the title! Pretty sudden ending there. Decently solid plunder brawl otherwise. **1/4

 

WWE Championship: The Big Show def Brock Lesnar (c) (w/Paul Heyman) in 4:23 (SD)- Big Show complained to Bischoff about never being booked on Raw, which channeled some real life frustrations as Show had been off TV for significant portions of the past couple of years due to not being able to stay in shape, so Steph cooked up a trade to bring him to SD. He immediately targeted Brock and the WWE Title, right after Lesnar considerably upped his stock with fans thanks to a bloody and impressive Hell in a Cell victory over Undertaker at No Mercy. Lesnar is coming in with taped up hurt ribs from a Show attack, as well as Heyman having serious doubts as to whether Lesnar can handle Show or not. Show's wearing black jeans over his singlet. That's a different look. He's also got his own wound, a wrapped up arm courtesy of Lesnar. To my point about Lensar's credibility going way up after beating Taker in HIAC, he gets a huge pop in MSG. Lesnar's all business on his entrance, handing the belt right to Chioda and getting right in Show's face. Shove, lockup and here we go. Big "Let's go Lesnar" chant during lockup stalemates. Show then manages to shove Lesnar into the corner and toss him out. Corner avalanche from Show. He calls for the chokeslam already. Spear from Lesnar! Ground and pound and Show goes to the floor. Lesnar follows and stays right on him. Show lifts Lesnar up and runs his hurt ribs into the post. Back in Lesnar tries to slug back. Goozle from Show. Lesnar ducks under and just barely gets Show up for a side suplex! Not pretty but they got there. Corner shoulderblocks from Lesnar. GERMAN SUPLEX ON SHOW! Fantastic. He tries to get Show up for the F5. Show counters with knees to the ribs. Chioda gets in the wrong place and Lesnar runs him over. Lesnar ducks a big boot. HE BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEXES SHOW! Freak of nature, man. Heyman throws a chair in the ring. Show goozles again but Lesnar low blows him. Chairshots to Show's head! Lesnar gets Show up! F5! Here comes a backup ref. HEYMAN PULLS HIM OUT OF THE RING AND DECKS HIM! WHAT? Lesnar realizes what happened and stares Heyman down. Heyman looks like he needs a new pair of underwear. Show uses the distraction to hit Lesnar with the chair. Chokeslam onto the chair! Heyman slides Chioda back in and Show gets the pin to win the title, his second WWE Title win. After the bell Heyman jumps into Show's arms, plan accomplished. There's Lesnar's official face turn. Ironically, it was also at Survivor Series 3 years ago that Show won his first WWF Title, and also in a surprisingly short match. You want a longer match of course, but in bang for the buck terms it accomplished what it needed to, and the turn was well done and had been teased out well the previous weeks. *3/4

 

After replays we cut to Heyman and Show hustling through the back to a waiting limo. They hop in and it tears off.

 

Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Los Guerreros def Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit and Edge & Rey Mysterio (c) in 19:26 (SD)- It's a Smackdown Six special! All six members of the unofficial group in one match. Angle & Benoit defeated Edge & Mysterio at No Mercy in an all time classic to become the inaugural champions for these new titles, but only held them a couple of weeks before losing to Edge & Mysterio in a two out of three falls match on SD. Angle continues to get pops before the "You suck" chant starts up. Angle's got a knee brace on for this one. Interesting. Guess something was bothering him, fortunately only temporarily. Mysterio has his entrance on the side stage set up for pyro so he can do the "pop up out of the stage" bit. Everyone jaws with a bit of shoving after the bell before settling into corners. We end up with Benoit and Mysterio starting. Guerreros are too smart for that. This is losing a fall eliminates the whole team rules. Mysterio slides under Benoit, but Benoit turns around and whacks him with a chop. Pop up hurricanrana from Mysterio, then a flapjack. Legdrop to the back of Benoit's head. He drop toe holds Benoit into his corner and tags Edge in. Double hiptoss, Rockers style. Edge drops a couple of elbows. More chops from Benoit and he tags out to Angle. Backdrop from Edge on Angle. Flying forearm. Angle grabs the ropes off a whip, tags Chavo in against Chavo's consent, and bails! There's the Intelligence in the Three I's. Edge dropkick and slam on Chavo. Mysterio tags in with a springboard big splash for 2. Chavo faceplants Mysterio and tags Eddie in. Rekindling one of the great WCW Cruiserweight feuds for the first time in WWE. It won't be the last. Mysterio does a crazy long flying headscissors on Eddie, then gives him a monkey flip. Eddie rolls over and tags Angle in whether Angle wanted it or not. Mysterio has a hard time hitting the ropes, ducking under a bit too much and almost catching his head on the top rope. He recovers to give Angle a slightly sloppy flying headscissors. Nice flip over from Mysterio in the corner and Angle flies under and posts his shoulder! Angle quickly recovers, flips Mysterio over and he CRASHES on the top rope in the corner. The way he hit I don't think that was intentional, I think he was supposed to land on the top rope. Rough night for Mysterio so far, but that's how lucha goes sometimes. Things can go wrong quickly. Angle keeps Mysterio in trouble and in his corner. Benoit tags in and hits a neckbreaker, then a back suplex for 2. Another back suplex from Angle for 2. Angle goes for the Angle Slam early. Mysterio counters with an armdrag. HUGE clothesline from Angle for 2. Snap suplex from Benoit for 2. Snap mare into a front facelock from Angle. And there they stay for a while. Unusual dead stop in the match from these guys. When Mysterio eventually fights back up Angle uses his power advantage to keep him in it, until he tries a suplex and Mysterio flips free out of that. Mysterio tries the wheelbarrow bulldog. Angle blocks it and tosses Mysterio backwards. Mysterio flips over and lands on his feet! Heel kick from Mysterio! Angle craws over to the Guerrero corner. They both hop down! Angle switches direction and tags Benoit instead, but the extra time allowed Mysterio to tag Edge too. Hot tag run from Edge. The Guerreros take shots on the apron. Edge belly to belly suplex on Angle! Chavo runs in and Edge tosses him over the top to the floor. Eddie and Mysterio hook back up and both tumble over the top rope. Edge sets up in the corner. Angle drop toe holds him and Benoit hooks on the crossface! With an ankle lock on too! Great teamwork. Mysterio makes the save before Edge taps. Chavo pulls Angle out to the floor. Mysterio corkscrew plancha onto both of them. Benoit German suplex on Edge. Eddie comes off the top rope with a sunset flip, and Benoit Germans Edge again into a crazy double pin combo that everyone kicks out of. Benoit counters a brain buster and dumps Eddie out to the floor. ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS on Edge, all three hitting. Throat slash. While he's climbing Eddie frog splashes Edge! Benoit sees and hits the headbutt on Eddie! Angle Slam on Eddie! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Ankle lock on Eddie! While Benoit has the crossface on Edge. The ref argues with Angle to break because he's not legal. While that's happening, Chavo comes in with a belt and nails Benoit with it! Angle sees and punches Chavo. Chavo tosses the belt to Angle! Benoit gets up and sees Angle holding the belt! Uh oh. They start shoving. Mysterio flies in and dropkicks both of them! Mysterio baseball slide flying headscissors Chavo all the way up the aisle, leaving Edge and Benoit alone in the ring. Spear! Edge pins Benoit, and Benoit & Angle are eliminated! Angle comes in and Germans Edge for some revenge. Behind that Benoit Germans Mysterio. They start shoving again, with a break for Benoit to back suplex Chavo. Angle hits an Angle Slam on Edge, and they walk out arguing and shoving. This would be the last time Angle and Benoit would team up as their odd couple team on TV (they would keep it up on the house show loop the rest of the year) as they start to fully build up to their legendary match at the '03 Rumble. Sneaky Eddie tries to steal a pin on Edge but Edge kicks out. Forearms and elbows from Eddie on Edge, followed by a suplex. Chavo baseball slides Edge for 2. European uppercut from Chavo. Slingshot senton from Eddie for 2. He hooks a sleeper on Edge. Chavo blind tags in and hits a dropkick. Eddie chokes Edge with the tag rope while the ref is distracted. Back suplex from Eddie on Edge and he hooks on a front facelock keeping Edge trapped in their corner. Edge ducks a double clothesline and hits a double flapjack! Tag to Mysterio! He uses Eddie holding him to flying headscissors Chavo. Tiltawhirl backbreaker on Eddie. Chavo Stinger splashes Eddie! Whoops. Edge spear on both of them! Chavo falls out of the ring and Eddie goes down in the corner. Mysterio basement dropkick on Eddie. Edge sets Eddie up top and they hit the double team hurricanrana. Chavo just breaks the pin up. Chavo has a hard time finding the gap in the ropes while being tossed out, then Eddie and Edge have kind of a rough exchange. Eddie ends up bouncing face first off the middle rope. Mysterio hits the 619! He goes for the West Coast Pop. Chavo hits him in the back with a belt! Edge goes after Chavo on the floor while Eddie hooks Mysterio in the Lasso from El Paso. Mysterio taps out! Los Guerreros win their first tag titles, and the new WWE tag titles have now bounced around to all three Smackdown Six teams in its first month of existence. This was a subtraction by addition type match. It's good, no doubt about that, but not as great as any combination of two of these three teams had been putting on. ***1/2

 

Before the main event, Chris Nowinski makes his first real PPV appearance for a promo segment. No one cares. Basically he says New Yorkers are stupid and gets the cheap sports heat by saying the Yankees (BOOOOOOOOO) bought all their recent World Series titles. This is right after the last Yankees dynasty ended. Fortunately I can still say last instead of most recent at the time. But dude, you want to talk about buying titles, all you have to do now is look at the 2020s LA Dodgers. The load bar hits and Matt Hardy V1 makes his way out. MATT FACTS: Matt keeps the room temperature at a toasty 75 degrees, and Matt only drinks lowfat chocolate milk. Getting a Raw/SD crossover here. Matt says New Yorkers aren't stupid. They're losers. There's a difference. Not enough Mattitude in the building. JR: "Where is this going, King?". Possible shoot comment there. We're all wondering that. SIREN! "HOLLA IF YA HEAR ME!" BIG POPPA PUMP IS HERE! Scott Steiner, making his WWE debut! Over a year late, really could have used him during the Invasion. Matt shoves Nowinski into a Steinerline, then tries to attack Steiner but takes a belly to belly suplex. Another one for Nowinski. And a another one for Matt as the crowd goes nuts. Nowinski gets tossed to the floor, then Steiner presses Matt onto him. Followed by push ups and the usual catchphrases on the mic. Great debut. Sadly it'd all be downhill from here.

 

As mentioned earlier, tonight's main event is the first ever Elimination Chamber match. Bischoff took full credit for the match's creation on screen as only he can, but in reality it was pre-CCO era Triple H that came up with the initial concept. The idea was a match that would combine elements of Hell in a Cell, the Royal Rumble, Survivor Series matches (hence its debut here) and War Games. That "combining the old with the new" element would become a staple in Trips' booking career. There are six entrants in the match. Two start, the other four are locked in individual pods located adjacent to all four ring corners. Every 5 minutes a pod will be opened at random and that man will enter the match. Wrestlers are eliminated by pinfall or submission until only one man is left standing. This is also the original Chamber structure, circular as opposed to the more square modern one, and without any padding on the inside covering the steel. It looks phenomenal, better than the modern version in my opinion, but it also tore guys' bodies to shreds every time they got in it.

 

Shawn's backstage promo is interrupted by BREAKING NEWS FROM RNN! Randy Orton is here, injured but despite that making his first ever PPV appearance. He assures everyone that he's just fine and healing nicely, especially thanks to "that sexy flight attendant Sherri" that gave him an extra pillow on the flight to NY. Not sure you want to be saying things like that just months after the Plane Ride from Hell. Remember to send your get well wishes to GetWellRandy@WWE.com. Wonder if that email still works?

 

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels def Triple H (c) (w/Ric Flair), WWE World Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Booker T and Kane in 39:21 (Raw)- This is Shawn's first match since Summerslam and just the second match of his comeback. It's also the first match for short hair Shawn. Clearly HHH/Shawn is the big feud here, the rest of Raw's top upper midcarders are pretty much just taking up the remaining slots. Bischoff comes out first to do some more bragging about "creating" this match, explain the rules and show the structure off a bit before the match starts. I've always loved the "10 tons"and "2 miles of chain" taglines. Jericho gets a live play in from Saliva, which just sounds....weird. Nice pop for Shawn. I distinctly remember Survivor Series in MSG 6 years before this when he lost the WWF Title to Sid and the MSG crowd wanted *nothing* to do with him. How times change. Very different design for Shawn's tights tonight too.

P1. After everyone else comes in it's RVD and champ HHH starting us off. Trips will have to go the distance to defend. JR points out HHH is 0-6 in his career at Survivor Series. The anti-streak. The bell rings, the door is locked, and here we go. Lockup! RVD gets a strike combo in the corner. Spinning heel kick and misdirection kick. HHH hits the facebuster to come back. He hooks up for the Pedigree, but near the ropes. Backdrop counter from RVD and HHH is the first man to take a bump on the unpadded steel grate outside the ring. I don't think much selling is required. You'll notice those hits get softer and softer as the match goes on and they realize how hard it really is. HHH then takes the first proper cage shots. RVD uses the floor grating to whip HHH off the ropes into the cage. The last time the door pops open! Whoops. Teething troubles. HHH is already bleeding off the cage shots. RVD monkey flips him onto the steel. Rolling thunder over the top rope onto the grate! He clotheslines HHH over the top back into the ring. Normal slam and RVD is already going nuts, climbing up the cage onto the top of Jericho's pod. Jericho reaches through the pod roof to grab his leg! HHH goes up there too and gets himself crotched on the turnbuckle. RVD gets free from Jericho and decides to go down a step onto the top rope. Senton onto HHH on the grate! Great shot of the grate marks on HHH's back. This new structure is delivering so far for sure. HHH flop sell back into the ring. RVD stomps HHH down in the corner as the 10 second countdown starts.

P2. Jericho gets the spotlight to get free. The sound effect on that is not that great. Something to adjust later. He runs into an RVD heel kick. Standing moonsault from RVD for 2. Leaping back kick off the second rope from RVD. HHH is wisely taking advantage of the two of them going at it to rest and recover some HP. Think he needs a hi potion. RVD clotheslines Jericho 360 onto the steel, then goes up top again. Jericho dodges, but RVD lands on the cage wall like Spiderman! Then comes off with a crossbody! Big ovation from the crowd for that. HHH is back up with a clothesline on RVD, then collapses again. Back suplex from Jericho on RVD. Arrogant cover! RVD spoils it with a quick kickout and fight back up. HHH hits the high knee, then Jericho follows up with a senton and covers RVD for 2. Jericho holds RVD for HHH to punch as they fully team up. Got over all that stuff they were fighting over earlier in the year then. RVD takes a shot on the steel grate. They team up to whip RVD's back into the cage. Side thought, prime JR is absolutely the guy to sell this structure its first time out. "These guys are going to be so sore they're going to have a hard time bathing tomorrow!". Chops from Jericho in the corner on RVD. RVD dodges another double team and dropkicks Jericho. HHH comes in and DDTs RVD with a great self plant sell from RVD as the countdown comes up again.

P3. Booker is in, with side kicks for everyone. He tries to clothesline Jericho over the top but Jericho doesn't seem interested in going over onto the steel and just rolls out instead. Ha! HHH does do the 360 over. Ring cleared, we get a spinaroonie. Check. RVD then gets in and, after a quick staredown, he and Booker go at it. Every man for himself. Real nice speed/counter run that ends with Booker hitting a side kick for 2. Misdirection kick from RVD for 2. Another side kick from Booker for 2. HHH gets back in and attacks Booker. Gut kick and Booker hits the scissors kick. Jericho hits Booker from behind before he can cover. RVD then flies in with a missile dropkick on Jericho. With HHH in the drop zone, RVD springs up top. No, wait. All the way to the top of the empty pod! Frog splash off the top of the pod! But he's understandably too hurt to follow up. Booker is poised up top and hits RVD with a missile dropkick. Booker covers RVD and gets a pin! RVD is out, the first ever Elimination Chamber elimination. Big boos from the crowd for that. Booker then covers HHH but Hebner is with RVD and by the time he gets there HHH has a foot on the rope. Jericho comes in with a basement dropkick on Booker. Corner chops from Jericho on Booker. Misdirection bulldog. He goes for the Lionsault. Booker dodges and hits a spinebuster. Slow cover for 2 as we count down again.

P4. Here comes Kane. He slugs away on Booker and Jericho. Corner clothesline on Booker. He tosses Jericho over the top onto the steel. Jericho did it that time. Kane lawn darts Jericho into the cage! He tosses Jericho into a pod and the "bulletproof plexiglass" breaks! Should have made it out of transparent aluminum. Shots for HHH from Kane with another great flop sell. Jericho crawls out of the remains of that pod and low blows Booker from behind. Kane chokeslam on Booker! Kane gets distracted by HHH, so Jericho sneaks in, hits the Lionsault on Booker, and pins him. Booker's out. We get a close up and see Jericho bleeding from that shattered plastic. For some reason he tries to climb the cage to get away from Kane, which doesn't work at all. Kane presses him back into the ring. Suplex on Jericho from Kane back in for 2. Jericho dodges a big elbow drop and kicks Kane onto the grating. HHH climbs up top. Kane catches him and gives him the classic Flair slam off. Jericho hits a missile dropkick on Kane. As soon as the last countdown hits the crowd starts chanting "HBK".

P5. And here he is, going nuts on everyone. Backdrop on Jericho. Kane cuts off his momentum with a clothesline. Shawn gets a huge head of steam off the ropes and hits the flying forearm on Kane. Shawn flip in the corner! Kane hits him in the back in the middle and he drops back into the ring. Goozle on Shawn. Chokeslam! Thanks for coming, Shawn. But Kane doesn't cover. Instead he chokeslams HHH too. Jericho tries coming off the top rope, right into a chokeslam. Hat trick done. Kane calls for a Tombstone on someone. He picks up HHH. HHH fights free and pushes Kane right into a Shawn desperation superkick! Kane sits up! Kick wham HHH hits the Pedigree on Kane, but can't cover. Again Jericho hits the Lionsault for the final final finish and pins Kane to eliminate him. Shawn is the first one back up. A Jericho backdrop counter gives us a classic Shawn spit sell and Jericho 360 clotheslines him onto the grating. Cage shots for Shawn.  HHH is finally back up and he and Jericho team up again to pound on Shawn. Shawn's got a tiny little cut from the cage shots. Jericho and HHH take turns pounding on it to try to open it up more. Shawn gets tossed onto the steel again. HHH gives him the classic cheese grater spot against the chains. Shot after shot from Jericho and HHH to his forehead cut. Shawn tries to back off in the ring but Jericho stays on him as he's bleeding pretty good now. Shawn blocks another cage shot and sends Jericho into the cage! He 360 clotheslines HHH into the ring. Shawn hooks Jericho up for a piledriver on the steel. Yeah, that's not happening. Jericho backdrops free. Back in Shawn hits HHH with the flying forearm. Kip up! But Jericho comes from behind with a bulldog! Lionsault on HBK! Shawn kicks out! Brilliant layout there, after Jericho got two pins already with that. Shawn gets a boot up in the corner, goes up top, and hits a moonsault with a cradle for a long 2. Might have been 3 if Hebner was quicker on the uptake. Shawn puts Jericho in a Boston crab. HHH quickly comes over and kicks Shawn to break it up. DDT on Shawn. Jericho covers Shawn. HHH pulls him off! He wants to be the one that finishes Shawn off. There's the ego getting in the way of smart strategy. He and Jericho come to blows over it. HHH clothesline on Jericho. Facebuster for 2. Jericho springs to the second rope and tries to come off, but it's into Pedigree position. Jericho counters into the Walls! HHH tries to crawl to the ropes, but Jericho pulls him back. Shawn's back up with a superkick on Jericho! Cover and Shawn pins Jericho to eliminate him!

FINAL TWO- The first guy in and the last guy in are the final two. Shawn's a bloody mess now, full on crimson mask. Well, half mask. Midring slugfest. HHH hits the Arn Anderson spinebuster for 2. HHH backdrops Shawn over the top onto the steel! Bad landing for him too. Whip reversal and HHH goes into the cage. Shawn hooks up for a Pedigree on the grate. HHH counters out and slingshots Shawn through another pod's plexiglass! Transparent aluminum, I'm telling you. Works great for humpback whale tanks, even inside a Klingon bird of prey, why wouldn't it here. Shawn's a complete wreck, not even moving. HHH drags him back up and tosses him into the ring. Cover. Shawn kicks out! HHH wants Shawn to get back up. Shawn does, using HHH. Punches from HHH stagger Shawn but don't drop him. Shawn fires back! Another slugfest. And another facebuster from HHH that Shawn sells as only Shawn can. 360 clothesline and Shawn goes into the steel again. Now HHH hooks up for a Pedigree out there. Shawn counters and slingshots HHH into the cage! He clotheslines HHH back in and goes up top. All the way up top, on a pod. Elbow drop off the pod! Shawn drags himself back up without covering and gets in the corner. Tune up the band! HHH blocks the superkick! Pedigree! But HHH can't cover right away. Slow crawl over and one arm drape cover. Shawn kicks out again! HHH is furious at Hebner for not getting to 3. Shawn staggers back up and HHH hooks up for another Peidgree. Shawn backdrops out! SUPERKICK! Shawn falls on top of HHH and gets the pin to win the World title! The crowd goes bonkers and a shit ton of confetti is pumped into the arena in celebration. Good thing they had that on standby. Before now no one was sure how serious Shawn's comeback really was. This cemented that he was in fact back for real. There were no part time champions in those days. Overall, that was a great match that sold and cemented the Elimination Chamber concept perfectly, paving the way for it to eventually become the center of its own PPV and still be an annual staple today (though with some adjustments to the physical structure, like padding). It drug a little in parts and everyone pretty much knew it was going to come down to Shawn and HHH, but you can never ever ever go wrong with those two together. Shawn's title win is also an all time great moment. Amazingly, despite many other attempts this would turn out to be his only singles title win of his entire second coming. ****1/2

 

For those keeping track that's a title change in every title match tonight. So much for what I said about newfound stability in the world title scene. For now. 

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A serviceable undercard, a very good tag match and a great main event introducing a new match concept and providing a legendary win. It's even got Scott Steiner's big debut mixed in, though of course that wouldn't turn out so good in the long run. The only real complaint is the short WWE Title match, even if it facilitated Lesnar's first face turn. Survivor Series had been in a rut for a long time, easily the red headed stepchild of the Big 4 PPVs, but this is a fantastic recovery and one of the best shows in its history.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: A-